Railway wheel assembly



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@et 9, 1934. G. A. UNGAR RAILWAY WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed May 15, 1933 5 Sheens-Sheet /5 INVENTOR mm Www 8f ATTORNEYS C. 9, 1934. Q UNGAR 1,975,881

RAILWAY WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed May 13, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Oct. 9, 1934. G. A. UNGAR RAILWAY WHEEL ASSEMBLY Filed May 13, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 m7@ 'MT ORNEYS Patented Oct. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES V 1,975,881 RAILWAY WHEEL ASSEMBLY Gustave A. Ungar, Pelham Manor, N. Y., assignor to E. K. Howe, New York, N. Y.

Application May 13, 1933, Serial N0. 670,901

16 Claims.

This invention relates to railway wheel assemblies and, more particularly, to wheels and axle mounts of rail vehicles which allow limited resilient vertical play between rail wheels and load supporting wheels adapted to run therein.

A general object is the provision of such a device including a rail wheel having a periphery adapted to run on a rail and an inner surface adapted to form the running surface of a resiliently tired load supporting wheel, which is eilicient, simple in construction, eliminates the necessity for auxiliary axles and frames, and assures excellent mileage.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein the resiliently tired supporting wheel and the rail wheel receiving the supporting wheel which is adapted to run therein are supported on a common axle, the rail wheel being connected thereto by articulated connecting means to allow relative limited vertical movement therebetween.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein the rail wheels have limited axial movement and are tied together by a tie rod to prevent variations in gauge.y

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device wherein the hub support of the rail wheel is pivotally connected by at least one link, lying in an axial plane, to the axle upon which the supporting wheel is mounted for relative vertical movement therebetween.

A still further obj ect of the invention is the provision of such device wherein the hub support of the rail wheel is pivotally connected by at least one transversely extending link to the axle upon which the supporting wheel is mounted for relative vertical movement therebetween, with the linkage connection forming no part of the driving means for either of the two wheels.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical axial sectional view with parts broken away of one form of the wheel and axle .assembly of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalyiew with parts broken away taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view with parts in section and parts broken away of the tie rod and associated connecting links depicted in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal axial sectional view with parts broken away of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a vertical axial sectional view with parts broken away of the structure depicted in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical axial sectional View with parts broken away of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8 8 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts omitted; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar`to Fig. 8 of a further modication.

Referring to the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts throughout. In Fig. 1, a rail wheel 10 is shown provided with a rim 11 of the usual outline adapted to engage a rail 12, and an inner running surface 13. A load supporting wheel 14 has the periphery thereof provided in the usual manner with a resilient tire 15 preferably of the pneumatic type, which is smaller in diameter than and engages the running surface 13. The supporting wheel 14 has a hub 16 rotatably mounted on a bearing structure 17 supported by the hollow axle 18 in a well known manner. A live axle 19 disposed within the hollow axle 18 is provided with a driving plate 20 secured to the load supporting wheel 14 in any conventional manner.

The rail wheel 10 is provided with a hub 21 mounted on a bearing structure 22 supported by a hub support 23, preferably in the form of a sleeve, and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the hollow axle 18 to allow relative movement therebetween. At 24 is indicated a brake drum of common type mounted on the rail wheel 10 which may be used, if desired, to apply brake action thereto.

The sleeve 23 is provided with a pair of arms 25 and 26, preferably located in a vertical axial plane below and above the hollow axle 18. A fitting 27 is non-rotatably mounted upon the axle 18, preferably in a manner to have a limited axial movement thereon. This axial movement may be limited by a shoulder 27' on the hollow axle 18 and a spring support 28 mounted between the end of the sleeve 23 and the fitting 27. The fitting 27 is preferably Cri provided with a pair of projections 29 and 30 below and above the hollow axle 18. A pair of links 31 and 32, which may be duplicated if desired as depicted in Fig. 2, are respectively pivotally connected to the projections 29 and 30 by pins 33 and 34 preferably having their bearings rubberbushed. The links 31 and 32 have their opposite ends pivotally connected in a similar manner to the arms 25 and 26 respectively as depicted. The spring support 28 having a suitable seat for a spring 35 adapted to be secured to the vehicle body in any conventional manner is provided with a vertically extending axially disposed guide fin 36 and a transverse vertically disposed guide fin 37. These guide ns and adjacent faces 38 of the spring support cooperate with a plurality of resilient buffer elements 39, preferably of rubber, to limit the vertical movement of the rail wheel 10 relative to the load supporting wheel 14, and the axial and transverse movements of the sleeve 23 supporting the rail wheel 10. The usual differential housing is shown at 40.

In Fig. 3 is shown structure similar to that depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the rail wheel l0 is provided with a wider running surface 13 so that an auxiliary rim 41 having a resilient tire 42 thereon of slightly less diameter than the pneumatic tire 15 may be mounted upon the load supporting wheel 14 so that if the pneumatic tire l5 becomes deflated the driving torque of the load supporting wheel 14 is transmitted to the rail wheel 10 by means of the auxiliary tire 42 to prevent injury to the deflated pneumatic tire 15. This modification is preferably provided with a tie rod 48 which ties together the fittings27-27 mounted on the opposite ends of the axle. The tie rod 43 is mounted on the pins 33-33 and is preferably rubber-bushed thereto by rubber-bushings 44 as is more clearly shown in Fig. 4. The transverse guide iin 37 depicted in Fig. 1 may thus be omitted in this structure, a vertical fiange 45 being mounted on the spring support 28 on the inner side of the buffer element 39 to limit the inward axial movement of the rail wheel 10. lI'he outward .axial movement of the rail wheel 10 is limited by similar cooperating elements on the other end of the axle tied through by means of the tie rod 43. 'lhe buffer element 39 cooperates with the face 38' of the spring support to limit the relative vertical movement between the rail wheel 10 and the supporting wheel 14.

ln Figs. 5 and 6, a modified form is shown wherein a rail wheel 10' is provided with driving means in lieu of a drive on the supporting wheel 14. The rail wheel l0 is provided with an annular gear 46 adapted to cooperate with a pinion drive 4'7. The axle 19 in t'iis instanc, is notl provided 'with a positive drive. As depicted in Fig. 6 an additional tie rod 48 may be utilized-to tie together fittings 27--27.

In Fig. 7 is depicted a modied form wherein the load supporting wheel 14 is mounted upon a bearing structure 17 provided upon the outer end of a fixed hollow axle 18'. The fixed hollow axle 18 is provided at laterally spaced points with ttings 49 and 50, each of which is non-rotatably mounted thereon preferably by keys as indicated. The fittings 49 and 50 are preferably provided with projections 51 and 52 preferably disposed in :1 common axial plane as is more clearly shown in Fig. 8. A hub support 23 preferably in the form of a sleeve supports tl'ie .rail wheel 10 rotfr ily mounted thereon. At each end of the slee is provided a pair of projections 53 and 54.. s is more clearly depicted in Fig. 8. The projection 54 is pivotally connected, preferably by means of a pin 55 having a rubber bushing 56, to a transversely extending link 57 which is pivotally connected in a like manner at its opposite end to the projection 51. A transversely extending link 58 pivotally connects the projections 52 and 53 together in a similar manner. 'I'his structure al lows relative vertical movement between the supporting wheel 14 and the rail wheel l0 which is limited by resilient means 59, preferably a rubber pad, disposed between a portion of the inner surface of the sleeve 23 and the hollow axle 18' or a portion secured to the latter such as a footing of the fitting 50 as depicted.

In Fig. 9 is shown a modified form of the structure depicted in Figs. 'l and 8, wherein the projections 51 are connected to the projections 54 by a pair of links 60 and 61 pivoted together at 62 with one pivotally connected to the projection 51 and the other pivotally connected to the projection 54. The projections 52 and 53 are pivotally connected together by similar structure to allow a universal movement of the hub support 23.

By means of the structure shown, a wheel assembly is provided wherein only one axle is essential, this axle having mounted thereon a load supporting wheel which runs within the rail Wheel connected to the common axle by articulated means allowing relative vertical movement between the wheels. This vertical movement is readily limited in a variety of ways by structure disposed between the hub support of the rail wheel and the axle or structure fixed thereto. Limited axial movement of the rail wheel is also provided to compensate for lateral forces imposed upon the rail wheel under running conditions. With the use of the structures shown' there is no necessity of the use of auxiliary axles and frames for the rail wheels. In such structures rubber can be readily employed to prevent direct metallic connection between the axle and the rail wheels. It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above are efficiently attained by the present invention.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to Cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. .A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel mounted on said axle, a fitting mounted on said axle, a hub support surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, articulated connecting means between said fitting and said hub support, and a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said hub support and receiving said supporting wheel adapted to run therein.

A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a fitting mounted on said axle, a sleeve surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, articulated connecting means between said tting and said sleeve, and a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said sleeve and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein.

3. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a fixed hollow axle having body supports mounted thereon, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a fitting non-rotatably mounted on said axle, a sleeve surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, connecting links pivoted to said iitting and to said sleeve to allow at least vertical movement therebetween, and a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said sleeve and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein.

4. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a fitting non-rotatably mounted on said axle, a sleeve surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, connecting links pivoted to said fitting and to said sleeve to allow at least vertical movement therebetween, a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said sleeve and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein, and a buier element between a portion of said sleeve and said axle adapted to limit the relative vertical movement therebetween.

5. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel mounted on said axle, a fitting mounted on said axle, a rail wheel receiving said supporting wheel adapted to run therein and having a hub around said axle mounted for relative radial movement therewith, and at least one link lying in an' axial plane pivotally connected between said fitting and said rail wheel hub to allow relative vertical movement between said wheels.

6. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a xed axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a fitting non-rotatably mounted on said axle, a hub support surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on s'aid hub support and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein, and at least one link lying in an axial plane pivotally connected between said fitting and said hub support to allow relative vertical movement between said wheels.

'7. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a fixed axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a fitting non-rotatably mounted on said axle, a hub support surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relativemovement, a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said hub support and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein, and a pair of links lying in a vertical axial plane pivotally connected between said fitting and said hub support to allow relative vertical movement between said wheels.

8. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a fixed axle, a pair of resiliently tired supporting wheels rotatably mounted on opposite ends of said axle, a pair of spaced apart body supports mounted on said axle, each having guide means thereon, a pair of fittings non-rotatably mounted on said axle inside said body supports, sleeves surroundingr said axle each having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, a pair of rail wheels each having a. hub rotatably mounted on one of said sleeves and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheels, one of which is received therein, a pair of projecting arms on each of said sleeves at least one of which has means thereon cooperating with the guide means of the adjacent body support, and a pair of links lying in a vertical axial plane connected between each of said fittings and the projecting arms of the adjacent sleeve.

9. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a xed axle, a pair of resiliently tired supporting wheels rotatably mounted on opposite ends of said axle, a pair of spaced apart body supports fixed on said axle, each having guide means thereon, a pair of fittings non-rotatably mounted on said axle inside said body supports. sleeves surrounding said axle each having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, l

a pair of rail wheels each having a hub rotatably mounted on one of said sleeves and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheels, one of which is received therein, a pair of projecting arms on each of said sleeves at least one of which has means thereon cooperating with the guide means of the adjacent body support to limit the relative transverse and axial movement therebetween, a pair of links lying in a vertical axial plane connected between each of said fittings and the projecting arms of the adjacent sleeve, and a bu'er element located between each of the lower arms of said sleeves and a portion of each of the adjacent body supports to limit the relative vertical movement between said sleeves and said axle.

10. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a pair of resiliently tired supporting wheels mounted on opposite ends of said axle, a pair of fittings mounted on said axle, a pair of hub supports surrounding said axle, each having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement and" adapted to cooperate with one of said fittings, articulated connecting means between each of said fittings and the hub support cooperating therewith, a pair of rail wheels each having a hub rotatably mounted on one of said hub supports and receiving one of said support wheels adapted to run therein, and at least one tie rod connected between said fittings.

11. A railway wh'eel assembly comprising in combination a xed axle, a pair of resiliently tired supporting wheels rotatably mounted on opposite ends of said axle, a pair of spaced apart body supports mounted on said axle, each having guide means thereon, a pair of fittings non-rotatably mounted on said axle inside said body supports,

sleeves surrounding said axle leach having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, a pair of rail wheels each having a hub rotatably mounted on one of said sleeves and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheels, one o1" which is received therein, a pair of projecting arms on each of said sleeves at least one of which has means thereon cooperating with the guide means of the adjacent body support, a pair of links lying in a vertical axial plane connected between each of said ttings and the projecting arms of the adjacent sleeve. and at least one tie rod connected between said fittings.

12. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a xed axle, a pair of resiliently tired supporting wheels rotatably mounted on opposite ends of said axle, a pair of spaced apart body supports fixed on said axle, a pair of ttings non-rotatably mounted on said axle inside said body supports, sleeves surrounding said axle each having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, a pair of rail wheels each having a hub rotatably mounted on one of said sleeves and an inner supporting Wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting Wheels, one of which is received therein, a pair of projecting arms on each of said sleeves, a pair of links lying in a vertical axial plane connected between each. of said fittings and the projecting arms of the adjacent sleeve, and a buier element located between each of the lower arms of said sleeves and a portion of each of the adjacent body supports to limit the relative vertical movement between said sleeves and said axle, at least one of the buffer elements being adapted to cooperate with a portion of the adjacent body support to limit lateral play.

13. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a tting mounted on said axle, a hub support surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, at least one link lying in a transverse plane pivotally connecting said tting to said hub support, and a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said hub support and receiving said supporting wheel adapted to run therein.

1li. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination an axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a pair of 'spaced apart fittings mounted on said axle, a

sleeve between said fittings surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, at least a pair of links lying in transverse planes pivotally connecting said ttings to opposite ends of said sleeve, and a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said sleeve and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein.

15. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a fixed axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a pair of spaced apart ttings non-rotatably mounted on said axle, a sleeve between said fittings surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, at least two pairs of links each lying in a transverse plane, each pair being pivotally connected between one of said fittings and an end of said sleeve above and below said axle, and a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said sleeve and an inner supporting wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supportingI wheel which is received therein.

16. A railway wheel assembly comprising in combination a fixed axle, a resiliently tired supporting wheel rotatably mounted on said axle, a pair of spaced apart fittings non-rotatably mounted on said axle, a sleeve between said Iit- 'tings surrounding said axle and having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of said axle to allow relative movement, at least two pairs of links each lying in a transverse plane, each pair being pivotally connected between one of said ttings and an end of said sleeve above and below said axle, a rail wheel having a hub rotatably mounted on said sleeve and an inner supporting Wheel running surface of larger diameter than the outer diameter of said supporting wheel which is received therein, and at least one buffer element located between said 'sleeve and said axle to limit the relative vertical movement therebetween.

GUSTAVE A. UNGAR. 

